Aib conteol device with atttoaiatic eelease



Jan. 3, 1933. D. MURPHY ET AL 1,892,734

AIR CONTROL DEVICE WITH`AUTOMATIC RELEASE Filed May 25, 1931 2 sheets-sheet 1 f f I Zhwentor CP. ll Bg @M MWWM z "ML" Gtforneg Jan. 3, 1933.

D. MURPHY ET AL AIR CONTROL DEVICE WITH AUTOMATIC RELEASE Filed May 26, 1931 "2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ISnDentor Patented Jan. 3, 1933 UNITED STATESv PATENT OFFICE DANIEL MURPHY AND GEORGE FRED LEHBERGER, OF NEVI" CASTLE, PENNSYLVANIA AIR CONTROL DEVGE vVTH AUTOMATIGBELEASE appncaaon ined Kay as, 1931. 'serial No. 540,190.

This invention relates to improvements in air control device with automatic release, the device being conceived and designed for the purpose of conveying or discharging liquids, chemicals orother fluids from a container or tank to another container, tank, vat, or tank Vcar positioned on the same or a higher level and the device has combined with it automatically operated means for shutting ofl1 the pressure medium, which isthe medium used for conveying or discharging the liquid.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of an improved device of the character described.y f

i A further object of the inventionis the lprovision of an improved device of the character described in which the liquid being discharged does not corne in contact with the mechanism of the air control device or its autcmatic release.

Another and further object of the invention is the provision of a device of the character described in which `fluid under pressure is used for discharging or conveying the liquid and in which the pressure fluid is automatically cut off at a predetermined time and in which vent means for the tank or container containing the liquid to be discharged is provided.

A still further'object of the invention is the provision of an automatic shut-off for a device of the character described which effects a saving of the fluid pressure.

Other objects, novel features of construction and improved results of the present invention will appear from the following description taken in 4conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a View in side elevation of the improved invention.

Fig. Q a top plan view of the invention illustrated in Fig. 1.

F ig. 3 is a transverse horizontal sectional view taken on the line 38 of Fig. 1.

Fig. l is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 4--4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 5--5 of Fig. 1.

fold or conduit of the more-or-less conventional T-shaped type, which-at its ends is in communication with supplemental conduits or manifolds B and C, while intermediate its ends the manifold A is in communication with a tank, vat or other liquid container D through a pipe connection E. It should be understood that the manifold A can be placed at any desirable 4location by shortening or lengthening the pipe E, but in ordinary installations the manifold A will be positioned above the tank or container D.

The pipe or supplemental manifold B could rightfully be termed the check-valve case in that it carries a check valve 6, normally held in closed position to close communication between the main manifold A and the supplemental manifold B, by reason of a coil'spring 7.

This supplemental manifold or check-valve case B is, at its upper end, in communication through a pipe 8, with a source of air-pressure supply (not shown) and the inlet of air pressure is under the control of the manually operated valve 9.

A pressure operated diaphragm is mounted within a housing having communicaton with the supplemental manifold B through a pipe 11. This diaphragm at one side is provided with ya pin 12, which protrudes through the housing for engagement with the extending end 13 of the lever or arm 14, which forms a part of the automatic release or cut-off mechanism. This mechanism will be described more fully hereinafter.

. The supplemental manifold or pipe C, at its -upper end is provided with an outlet opening or pipe 15, which outlet or opening is under the control of a vmanually operated valve 16. f

Normally the valve 9 is closed and the valve 16 open, but in Fig. 1 of the drawings the position of these valves is shown reversed as this ligure of the drawings illustrates the device as operating to discharge liquid from the tank or container D.

The valves 9 and 16 are simultaneously operated by a valve control lever 17 which is pivotally mounted as at 18, between the two cross-bars 19 and 20, which have their ends fastened to the upper ends of the supplemental manifolds B and C. This valve control lever has an extending end 21, to which is attached a coil spring 22, which normally exerts a pull towards the left upon the lower end of the valve control lever to hold the valve 9 in a closed position and the valve 16 in an open position, in that these valves are operated by the lever 17, as hereinafter described.

At cach side of its pivotal support the valve control lever is pivotally attached to links 23 and 24, which links are respectively attached to the elongated stem 25A of the valve 9 and the stem 26 of the valve 16. Surrounding the stem 25 of the valve 9 is a coil spring 27 held in place between apacking nut 28 and a spring cap 29, which spring cap is backed up by a pin 30. This spring 27 tends to normally exert an inward pull upon the valve 9 to hold it closed upon its seat 31. A spring 32 surrounds thestem 26 of the valve 16 and is positioned between a manifold portion 33 and a spring cap 34, which cap is backed up by a pin 35. This spring tends to normally exert an inward pull upon the valve 16, but notwithstanding this fact the valve 16 remains open and oill of its seat normally, because of the much stronger pull exerted upon the valve operating lever by the spring 22.

A cross-brace 36 has its ends attached as at 37 and 38 to the supplemental manifolds or pipe B and C.

Upon this cross-base is postioned a bracket 39, which carries the pivotally mounted latch 40, the end 41 of which is normally held in an elevated position by a coil spring 42.

By reference to Fig. 1, it will be seen that when the valve control lever 17 is normally operatecL to open the valve 9 and close the valve 16 against the tension of the spring 22, the notched portion 43 of the lever 17 engages the end 41 of the latch so that the valves are held in position illustrated in Fig. 1,notwith standing the tension of the coil spring 22, which tends to normally close the valve 9 and hold the valve 16 open. The latch 40 adjacent its end 41 is also provided with an extending portion 44 carrying` a threaded bolt 45, which is adjustable in this portion of the latch. This threaded bolt 45 constitutes an adjusting screw for controlling the pressure at which the device automatically shuts off the delivery of the air pressure to the liquid container or tank.

Coming back and referring to the lever 14, it will be seen that this lever is pivotally mounted as at 46, upon the pressure diaphragm housing 10. The enlarged end 47 of this lever is always under the influence of thc pull exerted upon it by the coil spring 48, which pull or tension tends to hold the diaphragm pin 12 within the housing 10 by reason of the engagement of the lever portion 13 with this pin. As it will be clearly seen, one end of the spring 48 is connected to an eye 49 carried by the lever enlargement 47, while the other end of the spring is attached to an eye 5() adjustably mounted in the crossbrace 36.

There is also attached to the enlarged portion 47 of the lever 14, a drop link 51, which has an enlarged end 52 adapted to engage the adjusting screw 45 and depress the latch 40 and release the lower end of the valve operating lever 17 upon the downward movement of the lever 14 under the influence of the spring 48.

It will be readily apparent that immediately the latch 40 releases the valve operating lever, this lever will have a tendency to fly back under the pull exerted bythe spring 22. To make the movement of the valve operating level' and the valves slow upon the release of the safety latch, we have provided a check or dash pot 53.

The check or dash pot comprises a piston 54 adapted to reciprocate within the dash pot and this piston has an elongated rod 55 pivotally connected as at 56 to the valve operat- 'ing handle or lever 17. As is necessary, the dash pot is pivotally mounted by having the pivotal support 56 upon the upper end of the housing forminfr a part of the supplemental manifold B.

As it is sometimes necessary to drain or clean the pipes or manifolds, the supplemental manifold B is provided with a plug v57 and the supplemental manifold C is provided with a plug 58.

It is also desirous to know the pressure of the air being supplied to this device and to indicate the air pressure, a pressure gauge 59 having communication with the chamber, in which the valve 9 moves. is provided.

l-laving described the component parts of the apparatus, a short description of its operation will be given.

lVith liquid in the tanle; or container D to be discharged, this is accomplished by blowing it from the container by air pressure. To accomplish this the valve operating lever is manually moved until the parts of the apparatus assume the positions illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings, with the lower end of the lever in engagement with the safety latch 40. This movement of the lever 17 has opened the valve 9 and. closed the valve 16 of the vent outlet. The opening of the valve has admitted air under high pressure which has worked iniediately upon the diaphragm and lifted the lever 14 and thus elevated the drop link 51, which in its upward movement has lifted the safety latch for engagement vvithl the lower end ofthe valve operating lever. The device is now locked with the'valve 9 open and the valve 16 closed, and high pressure air forcing the check valve 6 open against the tension of the spring 7 passes into the manifold A and into the tank or containerD and discharges the contents of this container through any suitable outlet connection (not shown) to be conveyed to any other desired container or tank, or tankcar as the casemay be. lVhen the discharge of the liquid in the container D has been accomplished, pressure in the container D is released as also will be the case in the main manifold A and the supplemental manifold B and diaphragm housing 10. lilith this fall in pressure the spring 48 pulls the lever 1l downward as the diaphragm is no longer capable of holding the lever upward against the pull ofthis spring. The downward movement of the lever 14, causes the drop linkV head or. enlarged portion 52 to engage the adjusting screw and depresses the safety latch at which time the lever 17 is returned to its original position by the energy Within the coil spring 22. This return movement of the lever 17 to close-the valve 9 and open the valve 16 is slonT due to the dash pot- 53. lVith the device returned to its original position with the valve 9 closed the delivery of air under pressure vto the liquid container D is shutoff and furthermore, the liquid container D can be again filled as the air within the container will be vented through the main manifold A and supplemental manifold C through the vent outlet 15, which is noiv open as the valve 16 is open. y Y.

Attention is called to the fact that With this device the contents of a tank can be discharged and the deviceY Will automatically shut off when the contents of the tank have been discharged and thus prevent wasteful dissipation of air pressure from the source of supply. Furthermore, the automat-ic cut-off of the device automatically open the vent so that the liquid containing tank can be again filled. l

Obviously changes in the construction or design of the present device could be effected Without departing from the spirit of the invention, as set forth in the appended claims.

Under certain conditions it might be desirable to have the vent valve v16 open at all times. The present device under those, conditions would operate satisfactorily if the action of the vent valve 16 be eliminated b y breaking the connection of the link 24 with the valve operating lever 17. In other Words the device would function properlypto discharge the contents in the tank or container and to automatically stop the delivery of coinpressed air When the tank is empty and the venting of the tank could be taken care of in any manner desired rather than by the particular venting arrangement illustrated in the drawings.A

i. Having thusdescribed our invention, what WefelaimV and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device for discharging the contents of a container hyfluid under pressure and in which there is a valve for controlling the inlet of fluid pressure and a. valve controlling the venting of the container, manual means 'for openingfthe fluid pressure inlet valve and closing the vent valve, automatic means for latching said'valves in said positions, pressure responsive means for automatically releasing said latch When the container contents are discharged, and meansfor returning the valves to their original positions when said latch is released.

2. A device for discharging the contents of a containencomprising a conduit having communication With fthe container and a valved inlet for communication with a source of fluid pressure supply, a valved vent outlet for said container, means to simultaneously operate said valves to open the pressure inlet and close the vent, a latch for holding the valves in said positions, and a diaphragm operated by the fall in fluid pressure when the container contents are discharged for automatically releasing said latch, and means to automatically close the pressure inlet valve and open the vent'valve When said latch is released.

3. A device for discharging the contents of a container by fluid pressure, comprising a conduit for conveying pressure to the container and a conduit for venting said con tainer, means' to simultaneously open said conduit to communication with a pressure providing means and to close the venting conduit, a latch for holding the parts in the described positions, anda diaphragm actuated upon the' fall in fluid pressure in said containerfor automatically releasing said latch when the contents of the container have been discharged. i

4. In a device for discharging the contents of a contained by fluid pressure, a fluid pressure supply, a valved conduit for conveying the fiuid pressure to the container, a valved vent outlet for the container, manual means to open against spring tension the valve controlling the inlet of fluid pressure and close the vent valve, a latch for holding the valves in said positions` and pressure responsive means automatically operated When the contents of the tank are discharged for releasing said latch, for the purpose described.

5. A device attachahle to a container for discharging Vthe contents thereof,comprising a conduit having communication at all times `with the container and adapted for communication with `a source of fluid pressure supply, a second conduit having communication with the container and provided with a vent opening, a valve for controlling the admission of fluid pressure and a valve controlling the vent opening, manually operated means i'or simultaneously operating said valves to open one valve and close the other, a check valve in the fluid pressure 1ine,`a pressure operated diaphragm in the pressure supply line, means to hold said valve operator in a locked position with the valve controlling the pressure line open and the valve controlling the vent opening closed, said diaphragm adapted to operate said lock to close it, and means to automatically release said lock upon a decrease in the fluid pressure.

6. A device of the character described, comprising a manifold having communication with a container and also having communication With a. valved outlet and a valved inlet and adapted to receive fluid under piessure, means to manually operate said valves, means to automatically lock said valves in their positions when they are manually operated comprising a pressure responsive de vice in communication with said inlet conduit, a check valve in said inlet positioned in front of said container and back of said pressure responsive device and said pressure responsive device automatically releasing said valve lock when the contents of the container have been discharged.

7. A device for discharging the contents oi" a container, comprising a manifold having constant communication with the container, said manifold having a vent outlet and an inlet for fluid pressure, valves for closing the said vent outlet and said fluid pressure inlet, means for manually operating said valves, means for normally holding the inlet valve closed and the vent valve open, a check valve in the high pressure line between the inlet valve and the container, said check valve operable by said fluid pressure, a pressure op,- erated diaphragm in communication with said manifold intermediate the check valve and the inlet opening, a latch in the path of travel of the valve operator, means normally holding said latch in an unlatched position, and said diaphragm operated by the fluid pressure to automatically permit the latch to move into a latching position When the contents of the container are being discharged and to automatically move the latch into an unlatched position when the contents of the container have been discharged, for the purpose described.

8. A device for discharging the contents of a container, comprising a T-shaped manifold having communication With the. container intermediate its ends, a high pressure inlet supplemental conduit communicating with one end of the manifold and a supplemental conduit having a vent opening and communicating with the other end of the manifold, valves for controlling the inlet of high pressure to one conduit and the venting of air from the other conduit, a valve oeerating handle for simultaneously operating said valves, means associated With said valve operator for normally holding the inlet valve closed and the vent valve open, a check valve in the inlet conduit and adapted to be opened by uid pressure, a pressure operated diaphragm communicating With the inlet conduit intermediate the inlet valve and said check valve, a latch for latching the valve operator in a position to hold the inlet valve open and the vent valve closed, a latcli operator operated by said pressure diaphragm,

said latch operator normally holding the latch in an unlatched position in respect to the valve operating lever, and said latch operator upon the opening of the inlet valve being actuated by the fluid pressure diaphragm to permit the latch to assume a latching position to hold the valve operating lever in a position to open the inlet valve and close the vent valve and said latch operator upon the discharge of the container contents and the lowering of' the pressure head of the fluid pressure automatically moving said laten to an unlocked position in respect to the valve operating lever, and means to move said valve operating lever upon its release to a. position Where the inlet valve is closed and the vent valve is open.

9. In a device for discharging the contents of a container by Huid pressure, means for conveying said fluid pressure to said container and means to vent the air from said container, valves for permitting the delivery of fluid pressure to the container and for venting the container, an operator for said valves and for holding one valve open when the other valve is closed, said valves normally being held With the fluid pressure control valve closed and the vent controlling valve open, a latch for locking .said valves in a reverse position, and means operable by the fluid pressure for permitting said latch to automatically operate and lock the valves With the pressure control valve open and the vent valve closed When the contents of the container are being discharged, and said same means automatically operating to release. said valve holding latch when the contents of the container have been discharged, for the purpose described.

l0. A device as described in claim 9 Wherein an adjustable means is carried by the latch for determining the pressure at which the latch operating means will operate to release the lock.

1l. In a device for discharging the contents of a container by a. fluid under pressure and in which there is means for controlling the inlet of fluid pressure and means controlling the venting of the container, manual means for opening the fluid pressure inlet control and closing the vent control, automatic means for holding said parts in said positions, pressure responsive means for automatically releasing said parts When the container contents are discharged, and means for returning all of said parts to their original positions When said release takes place.

l2. A device for discharging the contents of a container comprising a conduit having communication With the container and a valve inlet in communication With a source,

of iuid pressure supply, a valved vent outlet for said container, means yto operate said valves to open the pressure inlet and close the vent, means for holding said valves in said positions, and a pressure responsive means operated by the fall in fluid pressure in said container when the contents thereof are completely discharged for automatically releasing saidvalve holding means, and means to automatically .close the pressure inlet valve and open the vent valve when said holding means is released.

In testimony whereof We hereunto aiiix our signatures.

DANIEL MURPHY.

GEORGE' FRED LEHBERGER. 

